Editor,

WITH the arrival of the International Olympic Committee President to Tonga this week as well as the success of the 'Ikale Tahi beating France in the recent Rugby World Cup tournament, I'd like to draw attention to an issue much closer to home, our national stadium Teufaiva.

As the only Pacific nation to have achieved winning a medal at an Olympic Games as well as the recent re-ranking of the 'Ikale Tahi as the only Pacific nation to be listed within the top ten of rugby nations worldwide, you would expect Tonga to have a fledging sporting facility to nurture this wealth of untapped talent in this country. In my view, Teufaiva Stadium is not at the standard it should be and as a country which prides itself with great sporting ability, I believe this should be upgraded into an asset which all Tongans can be proud of.

Almost immediately, the field should be excavated and relayed with a proper drainage and irrigation system installed, the track needs patching or replacement, the car park needs a new sealing and amenities require a clean-up. Together with a solid refurbishment of the gym and implementation of proper management for ongoing maintenance purposes, Teufaiva Stadium could potentially host a number of rugby internationals and provide a venue for national events.

When you look at the overall success rate of Tonga's sporting capabilities, this is a minor upgrade which would enhance and encourage further development for the youth and provide a great facility for the benefit of all. Work hand in hand and proactively pursue this development goal and, who knows, we could bag a couple of Olympic medals in London 2012 and have a winning team in 2015!

Malo

Chris Chapman

chapman [dot] cp [at] gmail [dot] com ( chapman [dot] cp [at] gmail [dot] com)